Switched Opportunities
by ninja.universe
Summary: The Ninja were fighting the all too familiar mechanic. Everything seemed under control and too easy till it wasn't. The machine goes haywire and something happens to one of the ninja and.. a citizen? Who will it be and why was this machine made in the first place?
1. Falling Apart

**Takes place after The Pirate Season and the Departed Special.**

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Chapter 1

The Ninja were in a battle against the mechanic. A menace that builds machines and gadgets to his own benefit but from others people's things and a certain nindroid's parts.

He was supposed to be serving a jail sentence at this moment in time but he escaped by collecting metal spoons and paper clips. The mechanic made a machine and it sat in the streets of Ninjago while he laughed hysterically. The ninja tried to shut it down but the mechanic kept fighting back.

"Zane! What is that thing?!" Cole shouted over to the ninja who was scanning the piece of junk.

"I am not certain. It is made up of simple at home objects and I can not find out what it's purpose is." Zane answered puzzled.

"Why don't we smack it till it stops working?!" Kai suggested and readied his blade for a hit.

"Kai! Be reasonable! What if it is explosive?!" Lloyd yelled out with clenched teeth. He was in the middle of holding back the mechanic so his team could stop the machine from fulfilling its duties.

Jay was fiddling with a control panel and trying to turn it off. "Well there is a count down on this thing and I don't know what to do!" Jay panicked and stopped what he was doing to hold his head.

"Foolish ninja! You will not stop The Mechanic! MuHaHAHAHA!" The mechanic shouted and caught up in his moment. Lloyd punched him in the face and knocked him to the ground.

"Wow he was getting annoying anyway." Lloyd said with a sigh. He pinned the mechanic down with his foot and pointed his sword at him to show he wasn't meant to move.

Cole walked to Jay and patted his shoulder. "It's alright Jay. I know you can figure out this hunk of junk."

"But that's the thing Cole! It's so simple I can't figure it out! If I knew what this was I would know what to do!" Jay started to panic again he covered his head with his hands.

"This is Gayle Gossip and we are live at the sight of the intense fight with the ninja and the mechanic! Who will win?! And what is that machine?! Fire ninja what do you have to say about this scene?!"

Kai spun around to see a microphone be shoved in his face. He saw the news reporter and cameraman staring at him. He gently moved the microphone away from his face.

"You are too close to the 'scene'. This could be an explosive for all we know. Also there is no more fight." He stepped aside so the camera could pick up the sight of Lloyd pointing his sword at the mechanic and his foot firmly on his chest. "If I were you I would go somewhere safer and interview any witnesses."

Gayle's face turned red under her glasses and she turned the cameraman. "Keep filming." She whispered and stood out of the camera's frame so the camera could catch the scene.

Kai watched over Jay as he kept getting frustrated with the machine. Jay pulled off his mask and it was clear that he was soaked in sweat not just from the situation but from the heat the machine produced.

Suddenly a small explosion went off from the control panel right in Jay's face. His face was black with smoke and he coughed while he laid on the ground from being knocked down.

"Are you okay?!" Cole asked in worry as Zane and him helped Jay sit back up.

"I'm just peachy! I have one idea left and if it doesn't work we are so hooped!" Jay yelled and moved to his feet. "You might want to stand back."

Cole and Zane stepped back and Lloyd glanced over to see what was happening. The mechanic couldn't help but smirk.

Jay shot lightning at the control panel and the machine began to spark and jump off the ground. The ground shook and a metal rod at the top of the machine began to glow.

"Jay! What are you doing?!" Lloyd shouted distracted from the change of events.

"I'm trying to make it short circuit!" Jay shouted back and held his stance and continued to electrify the machine.

Kai was the only one to notice the metal rod at the top glowing and he sprang into attack. The ground shook worse, almost like an earthquake, and Kai stumbled to Gayle and the cameraman.

"Run! It's too dangerous!" Kai screamed over the sounds of the machine's roaring. Kai instinctively covered his hooded head when he hear the machine pop and hiss.

Kai turned to aid the ninja as the machine started to fall apart. Gayle faced the cameraman who was about to flee.

"Keep filming or you're fired." Gayle threatened quietly so it wouldn't pick up on the microphone. She ran off for cover while the shaking cameraman stayed to film.

All at once the mechanic laughed and lunged for Lloyd. The machine exploded and blew Jay back. The metal rob at the top of the machine blasted beams of light aimlessly. Kai ran to the cameraman who dropped the camera in fright. As Kai was jumping to push him out of the way, the beams hit the two.

After they were hit, the machine stopped shooting beams everywhere, the ground stopped shaking and smoke came out of the cracks and crevices of the machine. Kai screamed in pain from feeling as if his insides were melting and coming out of his skin. He hear another scream of agony next to him as he was falling unconscious.

Lloyd easily took out the mechanic. His laughter started to turn to screams of anger.

"You ruined my chance! My chance! I wanted a new life! You fools!" The mechanic shrieked and Lloyd refrained him in his hysteria.

Cole went to help Zane with Jay but he heard the piercing screams of pain and turned in time to see Kai and the cameraman collapse unconscious.

"You get Jay and I get Kai and the citizen." Cole mainly explained to himself and raced to Kai's side. "Kai? Kai?!" He shook his friend gently but he didn't wake up like he hoped. He moved to the cameraman's side and tapped his arm. "Sir?" Still nothing.

The police arrived shortly after the destruction of the machine and took the mechanic away. Police officers came to Cole seeing that there was a citizen involved.

"Officers we need an ambulance for the citizen." Cole explained and stood to his feet.

"No worries ninja, we have it from here. Do you ninja need medical attention?" The officer asked as he scanned the scene.

"No need for that. We have our own personal medical team." Cole answered and glance to Zane cradling Jay. Jay's face was black and his ninja gi was tore and black in some spots. His hair stood on ends and he was unconscious as well as Kai.

The sky turned dark and Cole looked up to see the Destiny's Bounty hovering overhead. "That's our que ninja!" Cole looked to Zane who was standing now with Jay in his arms. Lloyd was struggling to gather Kai in his arms. Cole raced over and picked up Kai bridle style. "You go up

ahead shrimp and tell Nya and Sensei to set up two beds in the medical bay."

Lloyd nodded and used Airjitzu to get on the deck of the ship. "Uncle! Nya! We have injured!" He called out he jogged down to the medical bay. Nya trailed after him in worry. She was practically on his heels.

"Who?!" Nya's eyes glistened and she stood terrified in the doorway. Lloyd couldn't find his voice and shook his head. He honestly didn't know what to say if he could speak. Nya covered her mouth and tried to control her emotions. She didn't know who was injured but it didn't matter, someone was hurt.

Lloyd swallowed the lump in his throat and walked to Nya's side. "Hey I don't think its as bad as it looks. Everything is going to be okay. Now we need to get two beds ready."

"T-two?" Nya looked to Lloyd in shock. "It's just the mechanic. I thought that he never did anything big and dangerous." Nya thought out loud as Lloyd grabbed some medical supplies from a cabinet.

Sensei Wu stepped into the room with his bamboo staff. "The ninja were injured? What happened?"

Nya and Lloyd started to cover two mattresses with sheets. "The machine the mechanic built went haywire. We tried to stop it before it did whatever it was designed to do."

Sensei Wu was going to ask more questions but there were heavy foot steps coming their way that distracted the group. Zane came in with Jay in his arms and hurried to rest him on a bed. Nya gasped and she teared up again.

Jay's face was peacefully despite the black on his face and body. There was holes and tears in his ninja gi and there was hints of blood in his hair.

Zane sighed, "He will be okay. He has a mild concussion that caused him to go unconscious. He looks worse than he is."

More heavy foot steps came their way and Nya was tense. It was either Kai or Cole that was injured and she had a bad feeling in her gut.

Cole came in carrying Kai and set him down on the bed to Jay's right. Nya came to his bed side and she was afraid to touch his body incase he was in pain.

"What happened to him?" Nya asked looking over his body.

Kai's body surprisedly didn't have any indication of a fight. No cuts or bruises. His ninja gi at his torso was a little ripped up but his skin underneath was fine.

Cole looked up to the other ninja to see if they knew. They all shook their heads. "We don't know. We were all doing other things and suddenly he screamed in pain and fell."

Zane grabbed a towel and a bucket of water. He pulled up a chair next to Jay's bed and started to clean the black off his face. Everyone stood around waiting for something to happen. It has been months since one of the ninja was hurt and the last time it wasn't even a mission. Jay tripped over a peddle and sprained his ankle.

Lloyd sighed, "Alright everyone. Lets give Zane some room to work. It's almost lunch time and we can all make something together." Lloyd tried to keep the other distracted with cooking while Zane patched up Jay. Kai didn't need to get cleaned up at all, he just looked like he was sleeping.

By the time the food was all made Zane was done and joined them at the table. They made salad, grilled chicken and pasta. The meal was quiet because everyone was in their own thoughts. They all had questions for Zane even though they knew Jay and Kai were going to be okay.

"You can all visit them now that Jay is cleaned up. He looks much better now." Zane offered with a smile and the tension lessened.

After the meal, Zane and the others went to the medical bay to watch over the two unconscious ninja. Sensei Wu left to meditate and calm his nerves.

Zane was right. Jay looked way better now that the black smoke was cleaned from his face and body. His clothes were changed to a blue t-shirt and his pajama pants. His hair was cleaned and was unnaturally combed back like Dracula. His bandages rested a little bit above his forehead and over his hair line.

Kai was changed into his red tank top and black sweat pants. "Kai doesn't not seem to be injured but I thought he might as well be comfortable." Zane said and smiled to Nya. She smiled back for a 'thanks' and went to sit next to Kai's bed. She went to grab his hand but pulled back when she was shocked.

"Ow.. he just shocked me. Was he electrocuted?" Nya asked and everyone seemed unsure.

"Well Jay was using his lightning to try and short out the machine. Maybe that's connected?" Lloyd suggested with a shrug.

At that moment Jay started to shifted and groan in his sleep. His breathing picked up and Zane walked quickly to his bedside.

"Jay is waking up." Zane said and gently put his hand on Jay's forehead. Jay sprang up in his bed panting. He looked around the room frantically.

"W-wah?" Jay was confused and saw the worried faces of his friends. His hand went to his head but he flinched from the pain and grimace. "W-what happened?"

Jay moved his gaze to Zane who was the closest to him. "You don't remember? Maybe you hurt your head worse than I anticipated." Zane thought to himself and Jay looked more confused.

Jay moved backwards on the bed so his back was on the backboard of the bed. "Were we on a mission? Did we win?"

"I don't know if I would count this as a win." Lloyd said and gestured to Jay and Kai's bed. That was the first moment Jay noticed the bed next to him.

"What happened to Kai?" Jay asked but everyone looked at each other.

"We don't know. We have to wait till he wakes up. He doesn't have any injuries." Cole answered and Zane grabbed Jay's chin to turn his head to face him.

Zane flashed a light in Jay's eyes, "I glad that you recognized Kai and that you know we go on missions. That gets rid of danger factor of the concussion. Can you tell me your name? Do you know what day it is? Do you know where you are? Confusion is common with a concussion so it's alright if you don't know."

Jay was clearly overwhelmed at the moment. "Jay.. Jay Walker. I don't know what day it is and we're on the Destiny Bounty. I have a concussion?"

"Yes, during a mission you were hurt. Do you remember the mission? Do you remember who we were fighting?" Zane asked more questions and turned off the small flashlight.

"I don't remember the mission but I can remember the emotions I was feeling. I think I was stressed out by what ever was happening." Jay explained while slurring his words and carefully resting his head on the wall and his back on the bed's back board.

"Jay? Are you feeling alright? You're eyes weren't dilated which is a good sign. But are you experiencing dizziness or nausea?" Zane asked and turned to the others and signaled to turn off the room lights. When the lights turned off Jay sighed in relief.

"Both.." Jay groaned and closed his eyes to block out the spinning room. Zane moved to put his hand on Jay's shoulder and gently helped him sit up more. "I wasn't dizzy when I first woke up but now the room won't stop spinning."

"I advise you to get more rest, Jay." Zane said and helped Jay lay down.

"I'm not even tired." Jay complained but laid down anyway. His eyes stayed shut and eventually he started to fall asleep.

"I recommend we let him sleep." Zane whispered and the group filed out of the room. Nya grabbed Kai's hand one last time and was not shocked. She gave it a squeeze and left with the others.

When they were in the hallway and the door was closed for the medical room, Zane could sense all of the questions from the others.

Zane turned to the ninja and smiled in reassurance. "Everything is alright. Confusion, dizziness and nausea is normal for a concussion that knocks you unconscious. Jay will be fine but I think it would be best if Jay remembers everything on his own. He knows he was in a stressful position and he was correct." Zane looked over to Nya who wasn't on the mission with them. "Jay was panicking most of the mission because he didn't understand the technology of the machine or its purpose. We are still unsure what the machine was made for but hopefully Kai will know when he wakes up."

Zane continued to walk down the hallway. "One thing that worries me though was that Jay was slurring his speech. That is one of the danger signs for a severe concussion. We must keep an eye on him. I do not suggest letting Jay walk for the first few hours of being awake because of his dizziness. If you notice his symptoms getting worse it is important to let me know. It would be another sign of a severe concussion."

Cole goes to walk passed Zane and pats him on the shoulder. "I'm glad to have a nindroid onboard. If Zane says Jay is going to be okay, then he will be okay. Let's hope that Kai is okay too."

* * *

 **Hi! Oh my gosh! I have been waiting forever to post this story! I'm excited to finally introduce Switched Opportunities!** **Hopefully you enjoy it so far!**

 **Review what you think so far and what day of the week I should post.**


	2. Road to Recovery

Chapter 2

The rest of the day the ninja switched off watching the two injured ninja. Nya was reluctant to leave her shift but after convincing her to take a shower and eat something she sluggishly left the room.

Around dinner time Jay woke up again and Cole gave him a piggy back ride to the dining room. Jay asked to eat there because he felt like he was restricted to his bed. Nya ate her dinner in the medical room to accompany Kai. She brought an extra plate of food just incase Kai woke up. It went to waste.

Jay sat at the table with Lloyd, Zane, and Cole. He ate some leftover pasta from lunch and the others nibbled at their own plate of leftovers.

"I remember something from the mission. I-I think.." Jay said suddenly and nervously at that. Zane set down his fork and smiled to show he was listening. "Was there an explosion? I remember there was laughing too... i-it was freaky."

"Yes. There was an explosion. I'm glad you are beginning to remember, Jay." Zane continued to smile. "Can you recall the villain we fought?"

Jay took a moment to organize his thoughts and looked down at his plate. "Hmmm... someone we don't normally have to worry about."

Zane nodded, "Good. Perhaps if I showed you a series of mugshots would you be able to point out the villain?"

Jay shrugged and ate the last bite of his pasta. "Worth a shot."

After the ninja finished their food and cleaned up, Zane brought in a folder of mugshots. Zane laid out only 10 of the mugshots on the table and the names were covered.

"I have the names blocked because I want to see if you remember. One of those mugshots is the person we fought." Zane explained and sat at the table with the others.

Jay took a moment to scan all of the mugshots but when coming across one of them his eyes lingered longer. Eventually he kept staring at the mugshot waiting for it to spark a memory. And it did.

"The mechanic... he was the laughing I heard. We fought him. I...I still don't remember the fight but.. the mechanic.. I'm sure it was him." Jay said all while staring at the mugshot as it was a remind of what happened to him.

"Very good Jay! You are correct! I'm glad you were able to figure that out. I must admit I was a bit skeptical to the idea because of how fast you are remembering the mission. I thought that recovering your memory would prove to be difficult but you are really surprising me Jay." Zane explained while collecting the mugshots. "Maybe your process to recovery would be faster than I anticipated."

Zane put all the mugshots in its folder and smiled to Jay. He smiled back a little embarrassed. Jay really liked the things Zane said to him but he didn't feel like he was remembering. He felt like he was guessing what happened instead of actually remembering.

"Zane how do I know if I'm actually remembering? That test was hard to be honest. I had a gut feeling it was the mechanic but nothing more." Jay said training his eyes on the table. He would rather look at the table instead of Zane. Lloyd and Cole look to each other with sad eyes. They felt bad for Jay but they had to stay positive and kept encouraging him.

"You said that you were sure it was him. Your gut feeling is more important than you think Jay. Trust your instincts. We are not pressuring you to remember. We want you to remember at your own pace." Zane reassured. Jay nodded understanding and slowly went to stand.

Standing was a mistake because Jay was still experiencing dizziness. Jay tried to block out the world as it started to spin and turn to a blur. Jay started to sway and tip over. Cole quickly move to catch Jay as he started to fall over.

"I got you buddy. You still have a concussion so you can't try walking on your own." Cole reminded Jay and move him in his arms to carry him bridal style. Jay kept his eyes closed and felt the world warping around him. Eventually Jay passed out in Cole's arms from being overwhelmed and tired. "Jay?"

He got no response and Jay remain motionless in Cole's arms. Zane came around from the other side of the table and quickly scanned Jay. Lloyd came to stand next to Cole, concerned for his friend.

Zane sighed in relief after going through Jay's stats. "He's alright. He just passed out from being dizzy and tired. It's best to let him rest."

They all relaxed now knowing Jay was okay. Cole lead the way back to the infirmary where Jay and Kai stayed for the time being.

"Did you guys notice Jay wasn't slurring his words? He might already be getting better!" Cole exclaimed and stopped in front of the closed infirmary door.

"He is getting better but the road to recovery is a long one. We have to have patience with Jay. He will only get better if he trusts himself." Zane explained with a smile. He stepped forward to open the door for Cole.

When the door opened they noticed Nya's frantic manner. Lloyd and Zane stopped in the doorway confused while Cole continued into the room to put Jay in his bed.

Nya turned to them, "Guys! I think Kai is waking up! I didn't know what to do and I didn't want to leave his side to get you all!" Nya said panicked. She sat down on the stool next to Kai's bed and watched as Kai twitched in his sleep.

Zane moved to the bed side and scanned Kai. "Your observation is correct. Kai is waking up."

Cole and Lloyd joined the others to hover around the bed. Kai's eyes were moving underneath his eye lids and his hands were twitching.

Suddenly Kai's eyes opened and he stared up to the ceiling. He blinked a few times and looked to be processing where he was and what happened last.

His eyes met with the people around the bed and they widened in fear. Kai screamed in fright and sat up and shuffled away from them. He held the blanket up to his chest as if he could protect himself.

Jay woke up from the screaming and turned his head to the commotion.

"What's the matter? Are you okay?" Lloyd asked and reached forward to Kai. He flinched away and Lloyd pulled away to avoid scaring him. Everyone was confused and concerned for their scared friend. Kai looked at each one of them and he resembled a deer in headlights.

Kai's lip quivered, "Who are you people?"

* * *

 **Hello! I know it has been awhile, I didn't really have an update schedule for this story. My life has been chaotic recently. I'm in marching band and it's competition season so 6 of 7 days of the week I am busy. I was invited to the White House to play piano so I have to practice 4 hours a day till the trip. On top of all of that, I am a senior in high school so I have to make sure to pass my classes to graduate. So sorry to make excusses but somethings have more priority in my life but I will definitely try my best to continue to update. Thank you for still sticking around.**


	3. Play Along

Chapter 3

Kai's lip quivered, "Who are you people?"

Cole's jaw dropped and Zane shook his head at the question. ' _This doesn't compute.'_ Zane thought to himself. When Zane scanned Kai when he woke up and he didn't show any signs of brain trauma.

Zane leaned forward to have his hands on the bed and properly scan Kai. After the lights from his eyes passed over Kai, Zane sat up straight.

"W-what was that?! Are you an alien robot.. thing?! Please don't kill me!" Kai yelled in fear for his life. He was huddled as far as he could away from them while holding a blanket to his chest.

Zane looked over Kai's stats and moved to sit on the bed facing Kai. "It seems you are having memory impairments. My scans show that there is no significant trauma to your brain or head at all. Do you know where you are or who we are?"

Kai looked more confused now instead of scared but he continued to breathe heavily. "I don't know where I am and I don't know who you people are. I mean you look familiar but I don't know what from."

Zane pointed his finger at Kai's face and the finger lit up like a flashlight. Kai flinched at the sudden light and moved his hands to cover his face. Zane carefully reached forward with his unlit hand to move Kai's hands slowly. "Us looking familiar is a good sign but do you remember who you are? What's your name?"

Kai looked annoyed with the light and pulled away from Zane's hand. "I have all my memories... Stop with the light! My name is Vinny."

Zane's finger light turned off and Kai could see Zane's shocked face. Zane moved backwards and his friends around the bed were just as shocked.

Across the room on the other bed, Jay almost fell from his bed. He let out a yelp and his upper half hung over the side of the bed and he squeamishly pulled himself back up on the bed.

Zane closed his eyes to recollect his thoughts. "No.. I'm afraid you are incorrect. That is not your name." He opened his eyes and saw that Kai sat up more confident and dropped the blanket from his hands.

"And how would you know that, Mr. Tin Man? You don't know me. We have never met!" He pointed his finger to Zane then crossed his arms.

Zane decided to play along with Kai and see where this was going. He sat back onto the bed but noticeably farther away from Kai than before.

"So tell me.. uh Vinny... what was the last thing you remember?" Zane asked and he could feel the room getting tense.

Kai relaxed a bit and put a hand to his temple. "Well.. I remember the mechanic was attacking the city and I had to follow the obnoxious ninja around." He sighed. "I know that the ninja are protecting the city and whatever but you'd think they would do a better job of doing it with their magic powers or something."

Kai looked back up at the group around the bed. He sighed again and he cringed. "Anndd I just recognized you guys. You're the ninja... great. Just who I want to be stuck with. So... why did you kidnap me? Was it because I was doing my job? Because you kidnapped the wrong person. Gayle pretty much forces me to do what she wants because she knows I need her to make a living. I'm just a guy struggling to make some decent money."

The world froze for the ninja. Jay was confused and didn't know whether or not to cover his ears so he could remember things by himself. What Kai was saying didn't make sense but at the same time it also did. No one spoke knowing that Zane was going to speak for them.

"So you are saying you were on the scene and you were being bossed around by the news reporter? That doesn't make sense, she doesn't have the authority to boss you around." Zane tried to piece things together but Kai just raised an eyebrow.

Kai crossed his legs and tapped his fingers on his knee. "Well Gayle is my boss and she does have authority over me. That's how jobs work. She talks and I hold the camera."

Looks of confusion spread across the room. Jay was incredibly confused and looked to Cole and Lloyd who stood at the foot of Kai's bed. Nya now sat on Jay's bed because her legs were weak.

Zane shook his head and squinted his eyes. "What was that last part?"

Kai looked confused like everyone else. "Gayle is my boss?"

Zane didn't meet his eyes and shook his head again. "After that.."

"She does the talking and I hold the camera."

Zane turned his upper body to Cole and Lloyd. "Do you remember what Kai was doing when we were helping Jay?" At the sound of his name, Jay covered his ears with his hands and laid down on his back.

Lloyd and Cole shared a look. "Wasn't he talking to Gayle Gossip and ... the cameraman." Lloyd answered and Zane turned back to Kai.

Cole put a hand on Zane shoulder before he continued to talk. "Wait wait wait.. are you thinking that-"

"Yes Cole.. I know what the machine did. Vinny..." Zane turned back to Kai. "Try not to freak out but... take a look at yourself."

Kai's face wrinkled in confusion. "What is that supposed to mean?" Confused by what that meant, he look down at his hands and flipped them from palms to the back of the hand repeatedly. "What does this achieve?"

His eyes followed up his arms, he noticed his muscles and different clothes. He started to feel uneasy as he saw different features. "Can someone get me a mirror?" Kai asked and Lloyd went to the bathroom that was attached to the room.

Lloyd came out with a hand mirror and passed it to him. "Here you go Kai."

His eyes locked with Lloyd's. "It's Vinny." Vinny looked down at the mirror and his hands jerked and he dropped it onto the bed. "Oh my goodness... I look like the red ninja."

Zane avoided Vinny's eyes, "I'm afraid that is why you are here. You are stuck in the body of our friend."

Cole gripped the edge of the bed and his head looked downwards. His hair drooped over his eyes. "If the cameraman is in Kai's body... then where is Kai?"

* * *

 **Happy New Year's Eve! It seems like no one enjoys A Deadly Fate anymore so I am updating this story instead.**

 **(Current day- August 20, 2019- I updated the cameraman's name to Vinny now that there is a cannon (confirmed) name to the character. I gave him the name David so if you see a "David" that I forgot to switch out, sorry! I'm sorry for the confusion!)**


	4. Escaping Help

Chapter 4

 _One_ _day before_

Kai began to come back to the world with the sounds of voices and sirens blaring around him. He opened his eyes but it was all fuzzy.

"Hey there pal. Glad to see that you're awake. I was worried that I would have to switch on the sirens." An unfamiliar voice over powered the distance sirens and muffled chaos. Kai lazily opened his eyes as if he slept for days. His head pounded and he felt weak. "You look a little pale there. Do you need a throw up bag?"

Kai didn't know he responded till there was a bag being placed to his chin. He couldn't keep track of what was happening but the person who spoke to him was rubbing his back and he said, "It's alright pal, let it out."

After Kai threw up a bit, he rolled from his side to his back and his eyes closed as if weighted.

"Woah woah buddy! Can't have you sleepin' just yet. Can I get your name? Do you need a hospital?"

The mention of a hospital snapped Kai back in reality and he tried to sit up and finally noticed a brace on his neck.

"Pal take it slow." The person grabbed Kai's arm and slid an arm behind Kai's back and helped him sit up. "I don't know exactly what happened but your condition is worrying me. Maybe its the best call to take you to the hospital."

Kai opened his eyes wide and his vision began to clear. "No.. hospital" his cleared his throat uncomfortably underneath the neck brace. He looked around his surrounding without twisting head and found he was in the back of an ambulance. The person that was present with him was an EMT. The ambulance doors were closed and Kai was on a stretcher.

Kai put a hand on his forehead and he closed his eyes. "Where are the ninja? Why am I in an ambulance? Are my injuries that bad?"

"The ninja stopped the mechanic so they left. You are safe now. You were found unconscious by the ninja and I couldn't determine your injuries with you being unconscious. The news reporter, Gayle, kept saying she knew you but I separated you from her just in case. She is quite... hysterical." The EMT clicked his pen and prepared to write, "What's your name?"

Kai dropped his hand and blinked his eyes rapidly, trying to clear his vision and racing thoughts. "The ninja left?" Kai glanced over to the EMT, who looked confused.

"I don't know much about the ninja or what happened but I was hoping you could tell me what happened and if you are in pain. What's your name?" The EMT repeated his question for the third time and Kai ignored. He was staring at his hand that was previously holding his head. His hand looked strange and he started to panic remembering what happened last.

Kai shifted his legs off the stretcher and tried to stand but he was too weak to hold up his weight. The EMT ended up catching Kai before he hit the medical equipment that was crammed into the ambulance.

"Oook you obviously need some medical attention." The EMT carefully helped Kai to lay on the stretcher. He reached for his radio and held the button. "We have a code 3, light and sirens. The patient failed to respond to questions and collapsed."

Kai wanted to say that he was fine and that he didn't want to go to the hospital but his vision was sprinkled with black dots till everything turned dark.

".. R7! I'm loosing him...Stay with me!..."

* * *

Kai woke up with a gasp and his eyes snapped open. He immediately knew that he was in a new location but his eyes hadn't adjusted yet.

He could still feel the suffocating neck brace and he felt a newer sensation of thin sheets over his legs and torso but under his arms.

"Hello sir. It's a relief to finally see you up. How are you feeling?" Kai heard a new voice and he tried to move his head, almost immediately forgetting he had the neck brace. Then he tried to sit up but his arms felt tingly and weak. "My apologies.."

The bed slowly started to shift and Kai began to move into an upright position. Kai frantically scanned the room as his vision cleared. He saw a nurse next to his bed adjusting his IV.

When he noticed the IV he started to panic a little.

"It's alright, Sir. You are at the hospital. The IV was just to get some fluids in you. I'll be back in a few minutes. I'm going to get your doctor." She left and Kai quickly started to take note of his surroundings.

' _IV, neck brace, no pain but a slight headache, hospital gown... where is my ninja gi..._ ' He spotted clothes on a desk on the other side of the room. He had to be quick if he wanted to escape.

Kai carefully took the IV out of his arm and swung his legs off the bed. His bare feet touched the tiled floor and he shivered. His legs nearly gave out a number of times but he managed to stumble to the desk with the clothes.

Before changing he grabbed a cotton ball and ace bandages and wrapped his elbow area to stop the bleeding from the IV.

He didn't recognize the clothes but he had to change out of the hospital gown. Kai reached up to the neck brace and pulled the velcro pieces off. Once it was off, Kai started to roll and stretch his neck.

Not even a minute later he was pulling off the hospital gown. He stopped when he reached for the clothes. ' _What's wrong with my body?'_

Kai looked down at his chest and stomach. ' _My abs... my muscles..._ '

Kai's hands traced his figure in confusion but then looked to his hands to notice that he didn't have his calluses from his ninja training.

' _I don't have time for this..'_ He threw on the jeans, sneakers, white t-shirt and blue jacket. He brushed back his hair that he felt was shorter. Kai saw the blue hat also on the desk and he grabbed it. He put on the hat while he walked to the door.

Kai stopped mid motion when he heard voices outside his door. ' _I can't be caught!'_ He stumbled to the door and locked it.

The handle began to jiggling, he was running out of time. Kai jogged to the window that was next to his bed and he fidgeted with the lock. Normally the lock would be a piece of cake but Kai couldn't activate his powers!

"Vinny?! Open up!" Kai heard a voice call out from behind the door. "I'll be forced to call security!"

Kai mentally sighed, ' _thank goodness they didn't realize that I'm a ninja.'_ Kai rummaged through the desk to look for something to break the lock on the window.

Kai settled for a pen and after taking it apart he was left with the thin ink tube. He managed to jam it into the lock mechanisms. It was one of the things he learned as a ninja but with a bobby pin. The lock clicked and Kai pushed open the heavy window.

' _Why am I so weak?!_ ' Kai thought and he moved to sit on the window sill.

"Vinny! Last warning before security busts open this door! We just want to help you!" The voice called out and Kai rolled his eyes.

' _My powers aren't working and my body must have become weaker from what the Mechanics machine did. No powers but I still have my training.'_

Kai's feet went to a little ledge underneath the window. It was just wide enough to fit his feet sideways. He started to shuffle away from the window and to a power line that had a cover on it.

The floor he was on was only four stories off the ground but in his weaker state and without powers, he couldn't risk hurting himself. Kai just had to get away and find the ninja.

There was an alley way between the hospital and the neighboring building. Kai put his hands on the covered power line and slide that the next building over. He had to shuffle over on that building to get to the fire escape. After running all the way down the fire escape, he jumped down into the alley way and ran.

Kai didn't have his communicator on him so he started heading to someone who could contact the ninja.

* * *

 **Two updates in one day?! You're not dreaming! :D**

 **What do you think with happen in the next chapter?**

 **(Current day- August 20, 2019- I updated the cameraman's name to Vinny now that there is a cannon (confirmed) name to the character. I gave him the name David so if you see a "David" that I forgot to switch out, sorry! I'm sorry for the confusion!)**


	5. New Habits

Chapter 5

Kai was walking in a crowd with his head down low. He couldn't have someone recognize him while on his way to his destination. The blue cap he wore kept most of his face covered which he was grateful for. He glanced up to see the building he was looking for and his chest felt lighter.

' _Thank Ninjago I can finally contact the others!'_ Kai thought as he quicken his pace. Being separated without powers or communication is very stressful.

Kai walked up to the door of Dareth's dojo and tugged on the handle but it didn't open. Kai then noticed a sign on the door that read, ' _Closed for now! Ninja business!'_ After the words there was a silly drawing of a brown ninja that looked to be done by a kindergartner.

Kai's jaw dropped and he stared in disbelief. He jogged to the window and cupped his hands on the glass and brought his face in close to look inside.

The lights were out and there was no one in sight. As Kai searched someone bumped into him violently. Kai was pulled away from the window and he stared to the man that glared back.

"Watch where you're going punk!" The man spat and he continued to rush of. Kai couldn't help but be surprised by the interaction. Normally people were really polite and could tell he was a ninja.

' _Is it my clothes? Does no one know what I look like when I'm not wearing red?'_ Kai thought to himself as he stared in the crowd. When his eyes went back to the window he saw his reflection and froze.

The man staring back wasn't Kai Smith, fire ninja, nor protector of Ninjago... no... it was a stranger. A stranger he recognized from the battle with the mechanic. ' _The cameraman?'_

Kai took off his hat in one quick move. He ran fingers through his hair, but nothing resembled the image he created for himself.

He held back a scream of fear and confusion. He couldn't draw attention to himself... His reflection got lost in the crowd of people and he started to connection the dots.

It all started at the ambulance when the EMT kept asking his name. He said that the ninja left and it was because... he wasn't.. himself..? They didn't know...

The hospital called him Vinny so someone knew him.. He couldn't go back to the hospital and find out more information.

Police station? They had contact with the ninja and if he said it was important maybe it would work. It could be risky but he didn't know if it was a good idea to walk around claiming he was a ninja.

Police station it was and now he was Vinny- Vinny somebody. And he had a mission! Hopefully the ninja knew what was going on and they were looking for him now.

* * *

Kai now stood in front of the police station that held the hopes of contacting his friends. He couldn't help but feel nervous and powerless. He was just a normal citizen that had seen the battle and he had important information for the ninja and ninja only.

He straightened his clothes out of a new habit and cleared his throat. He walked inside and eventually he was able to sit down with the Police Commissioner.

"What seems to be the problem, uhh-"

"Vinny" Kai answered too quickly.

"Right... I don't normally do this too often but the front desk told me you are a cameraman for... uhhh that- that news girl and you witnessed the battle. That was extremely reckless you know? People get hurt from being too close to a fight. The ninja have it covered so.. why? Why did you stay?" The Commissioner started while tapping away at his keyboard. He continued to switch his attention from the screen and Kai.

"My job kept me there." He said monotone as if scripted and he gripped the trim of his white t-shirt. "I mean being a cameraman and all... I-I was instructed to stay.. and film." He gulped nervously.

The Commissioner squinted to him and turned back to the computer screen and that only made Kai more nervous. He gripped his shirt tighter and looked down to the ground.

"Alright, I'll repeat my earlier question. And remember, don't waste my time." The intimidating police man said while tearing his attention away from the computer to completely focus on Kai.

"Ok.. well being on the scene I was close enough to hear what the ninja were saying. They said they didn't know what the machine did and I figured it out so I would like to pass that information to the ninja." Kai finished feeling triumphant for not stuttering. It was also the first time Kai actually noticed how different his voice sounded. It sounded higher pitch like Jay but serious like Zane. Kai started to think about his friends and got lost in thought.

"So what did the machine do?" He asked in an interrogating voice and he began typing on his keyboard again.

Kai cleared his throat and his hands fidgeted. "Um you see.. I was actually hit with the machine and it affected me. It's kind of personal and I want to keep it between me and the ninja." Kai couldn't help but mumbled 'ninja business' at the end of the explanation. Kai looked to his hands as if it would help him out of this uncomfortable situation.

The Police Commissioner looked unimpressed and he scooted closer to the desk and leaned over the desk to stared at Kai. "Not tell me will not help your situation. In fact! You just dug a deeper hole for yourself!" The Commissioner spun the desktop screen around to show a news clip that was paused. The screen started to move with a click of the mouse.

 _News clip_

' _Earlier today there was an intense battle between the Ninja and the Mechanic. Standing before you today I'm glad to report that the ninja have done it again! They have stopped the villain, but not everyone got away unharmed. This next clip is not for the faint of heart.'_

 _Another warning appeared on screen._

 _The video started and it was shaky. It was Gayle Gossip's cameraman filming. It showed the moment Vinny dropped the camera as everything climaxed. The tilted camera from the ground caught Vinny being pushed by Kai as they were both hit by a beam._

' _The man in the video is Vinny and he is the cameraman for Gayle Gossip. He is pushed out of the way by the red ninja but it was already too late. They both are struck and collapse. The red ninja, Kai, is taken back with the ninja while Vinny is treated for his injuries. As of now, it was just made public that Vinny is no longer at the hospital. But he was not discharged. It seems he left the hospital unnoticed and medical staff say he is delusional. If you see him it's important to call this number.'_

 _A picture appears on screen of Vinny and a phone number is next to it._

The click of the mouse freezes the screen and Kai looks to the Commissioner. The police man squints to him in anger and he turned the screen back to it original position.

"Vinny, I warned you about wasting my time. I know who you are and I know that you are some 'special case' with being on the scene. But you are also not well in the head. You escaped a hospital for Ninjago sake! Tell me what the machine did or I'm calling an ambulance to take you back."

Kai shrank in his seat and he bit the inside of his cheeks. His mind was going a million miles a minutes and he kept going back and forth on what to do.

"Nothing? Guess the news is right! You are delusional!" The Commissioner stood and signaled someone outside the door. A cop comes in as instructed. "Take him to a holding cell till an ambulance comes."

The cop grabs Kai's arm to lead him out but Kai panics and pulls away from him. "Wait! I'll tell you!"

The Police Commissioner lifted his phone to his ear but still spoke to him. "How am I supposed to believe you? Vinny you were hit with a mysterious machine and many people have evidence that you aren't well. I'm trying to help you."

The cop that was trying to escort Kai grabbed his arm again and pulled him from the chair. Kai cringed remembering his soreness and dizziness. He tried to pull away but he had a tighter grip and Kai didn't have his strength. "The machine- I switched bodies with someone! I'm not Vinny! I'm a ninja! And you're going to regret calling me crazy!"

The Commissioner glared, "I didn't call you crazy. But do you know how crazy you sound now?"

Kai struggled against the man dragging him away. "Let me go! I did nothing wrong! Please contact the ninja! They are looking for me!"

The Police Commissioner looked to the cop pulling Kai away. "Restrain him."

"WHAT! If only I had my powers! Ohh...so help me I'd snap those chains and you wouldn't know what to do!" Kai yelled while backup police officers came to get handcuffs on him.

Kai was dragged away and he heard the Commissioner said into the phone, "I have your patient."

He gave up fighting and he was walked to a holding cell. He was alone, handcuffed with only his thoughts.

' _That didn't go well..'_

* * *

 **Sorry my posting schedule is a "little" messed up. I keep giving excuses but to keep it short, I have a lot going on. Senior year of high school and many many many extra activities.**

 **What did you think of that chapter? What do you think will happen next?**

 **(Current day- August 20, 2019- I updated the cameraman's name to Vinny now that there is a cannon (confirmed) name to the character. I gave him the name David so if you see a "David" that I forgot to switch out, sorry! I'm sorry for the confusion!)**


	6. We Are Mostly Human

Chapter 6

Jay and Vinny sat up in their beds as they watched a news clip on Zane's phone. They had just finished watching the news clip about Vinny.

Jay sat there horrified because he saw the video of Kai and Vinny getting hit. The machine was also visible from the abandoned camera.

Zane glanced to Jay, "I'm sorry you had to see that. I wasn't thinking clearly. You should have had the option of remembering on your own." Zane looked down, disappointed in himself.

Jay smiled despite what he saw. "It's not your fault, Zane. My curiosity would've got the better of me anyway. I probably would look it up on my phone."

Zane seemed to relax. "Did the news clip at least spark any memories?"

Jay chuckled, "Hahaha... sparks." He reached up to his forehead and rubbed around where his bandages were because they were itchy. "That thingy in the video- the machine... I remember that. I'm assuming that's why Kai and Vinny are- wooop!" He made the sound effect has he gesture his arms to twist around each other.

Their attention switched to Cole as he stopped pacing in the hallway. Cole stood at the open door with his phone to his ear. He was on the phone with the mayor.

"Yes... Definitely ... ok no problem. Bye." Cole ended the call while giving Vinny a look. He sighed and sat down on the edge of Vinny's bed. "The mayor wants us to give a statement to distract the public from the attack. He wants everyone to know that Ninjago is safe and that you-" points to Vinny, "-are okay."

Zane held his chin in thought, "The last the public has seen of Kai is of him being taken away unconscious, so it would be beneficial for the citizens to know he is well."

Vinny looked at the two, "But I'm not Kai...and what about Kai?! The news showed that he escaped a hospital!"

Zane locked eyes with Vinny. "I know you are not Kai. But you are the closest we have. You will have to come with us to make a statement. As for the real Kai... he must have figured out something was wrong escaped the hospital with us in mind. He can handle himself for an hour but we better be quick."

Vinny pushed the sheets away and he placed his feet on the ground uncertain. "But they will know that I'm not Kai!"

Jay gestured fanning the air with a 'pfft'. "You already look the part! What would Kai do!"

"I know nothing about Kai! I just met you guys!"

"We can write you something to read." Zane suggested and held a hand out to Vinny. He took it and Zane helped him stand. "We'll help you through this as much as we can. Come, we have to get you changed."

After Zane left with Vinny wobbling behind, Jay looked to Cole. "I'm coming too, right?"

Cole smiled to Jay as he fiddled with the blanket. "We're going to need the whole team. Lloyd is trying to convince Nya to come." Cole placed a hand on Jay's shoulder to pause his nervous fiddling. "You actually might have a better chance at convincing her. She is a ninja too and someone has to remind her that. I know she is worried about joining us in battle and she can work her way into that slowly, but Ninjago has to see her standing with us."

Jay smiled and gave a little nod, "I'll talk to her." He laughed to himself, "But I might need an escort."

Cole turned his back to Jay, "Say no more."

Jay jumped onto Cole's back for a piggyback ride. "Weeeee!" Jay screamed as Cole walked at a normal pace through the halls.

* * *

The ninja were gathered in a small room and they could hear the chatter of the reporters in the next room. Everyone was dressed in their colored coded ninja garbs and Vinny looked down at himself.

"I can't believe I have to wear an absurd amount of bright red... I got to say I've never understood why you all wear bright colors when you're ninja! Aren't you supposed to- I don't know- be stealthy and blend in?" Vinny pinched at his sleeves.

Cole smirked to Jay who was sitting in a chair to calm his dizziness. His hairline was still wrapped up in bandages. "Hey master of blabber! You have some competition!"

Nya, who was convinced to join them, placed a hand on Jay's shoulder. "You doing alright, Jay?"

He sighed, "Yeah, just a bit dizzy. But I'd rather stand than sit in a wheelchair."

Vinny looked at the ninja around him. "I couldn't help but notice that you guys are always worrying about your self image. Hiding injuries from the public? As a citizen, sometimes we want to know what's going on. It may be a helpful reminder that you ninja are human too."

Zane tilted his head, "But I am not human." Everyone laughed and Vinny felt his nerves lessen, even if it was a little.

Lloyd stepped up to Vinny. "I have never thought of it like that before. We all made an agreement to hide things like injuries because we don't want the public to worry that Ninjago's protectors are weakened. It's not just for the public but it goes for bad guys too. If they know we are one ninja down then who knows what will happen."

Vinny nodded, "That makes sense." His eyes landed on Jay who looked like he couldn't hold his own weight if he tried. "But I think you should make an exception. It will be more alarming to the public if Jay suddenly collapses. Maybe a wheelchair isn't a bad idea."

Lloyd turned back to Jay and grimaced. "Hey Zane? Where did they say that wheelchair was again?" Lloyd and Zane started up a conversation.

A smiled spread across Vinny's face and he saw Jay give him a thumbs up.

"Thanks for having my back. You really didn't have to do that." Jay said to the cameraman in red.

"Trust me when I say I had to. You literally would fall over on live TV." Vinny insisted.

Cole crossed his arms and leaned on a wall. "Did Zane give you the que cards with what you are supposed to say?"

Vinny reached into his pocket and pulled up folded index cards. "Yup, I think I have it mostly memorized but I'm nervous. I'm normally behind the camera, not speaking into it."

Nya smiled reassuringly, "I'm sure you'll be fine. You aren't the only one talking so no pressure. Just smile and relax."

He nodded taking in the advice. "Thanks. I just hope I can pull this off. Zane also wrote things on here that Kai would say at a time like this... is he always this cocky?"

Everyone either sighed or rolled their eyes. Zane stepped by into the room with a wheelchair. He heard what Vinny said.

"I'm afraid Kai is always that way. I have compiled many smart remarks from all these years and added some into your speech." Zane explained and rolled the wheelchair next to Jay. Cole helped Jay transfer over to the wheelchair.

Vinny cringed, "But I'm not cocky..."

"Then we'll help you unlock your inner Kai! What's the first thing you say?" Cole asked.

Vinny frowned and read the line, "Do I have to?" He received nods as his answer. He sighed and took a deep breath. "Hello Ninjago city... did you miss me?" He said sounding confused.

Cole face palmed, "You have to sell it! Say it with confidence!"

Jay perked up from the wheelchair. "Oh! Oh! Add a wink! Kai would totally do that!"

Vinny took another deep breath to prepare himself to try again. Before he could get the words out, the double doors at one side of the room opened and a security guard stepped in. "You're on, ninja."

The ninja team started to filed into the next room where reporters and fans awaited. Lloyd put a hand on Vinny's shoulder.

"Sorry if I seemed harsh earlier. I was so worried about this whole thing with the statement and Kai that I didn't notice Jay wasn't in the best shape as he said he was." Lloyd said while slowly inching to the next room.

"It's alright. I understand. I haven't been around you guys long but I can that being a ninja has a lot to it. I really respect that. Sorry if I messed up the system."

Lloyd smirked, "Well today we have to remind the people of Ninjago that we are human."

Together they stepped into the room. Blinded by camera flashes and deafened by screams. Lloyd waved to the crowd and somehow they got even louder.

Lloyd glanced to Vinny in the corner of his eye. He whispered cheerfully, "Smile."

* * *

 **Sorry it's been so long! I'm now official graduated from high school and I have more time to write again! I'm also a cosplayer so now I'm working really hard to finish up my current projects. My instagram is Akaguard. You should DM me a hello! I would like to see the people who visit me from this website.**

 **My schedule is terrible. I wake up in the afternoon and the whole day I work on cosplay. Because I am nocturnal, at night I either write fan fictions or read fan fictions. I go to bed sooo late but I find that I write chapters best when I'm at the giggly tired phase of the night. You can probably tell by some of my writing.** **¯\\_(ツ)_/¯**

 **(Yesterday I updated my past chapters to say Vinny now that he has a cannon name! I gave him the name David because when I first started writing this he didn't have a name. Sorry for the confusion!)**


	7. Ninja Business

Chapter 7

Walking into the press room for the statement was completely overwhelming for Vinny. He almost froze in fear. But as quick as the flashing on the cameras he remembered the advice the ninja gave him. He also remembered that the last time Ninjago saw Kai, he was unconscious.

The screams of excitement and the fans wearing red encouraged him and he smiled to the crowd as he walked to the stage next to Lloyd.

Jay was wheeled up a ramp by Cole and the ninja stood in a line facing the crowd. There must have been hundreds of people.

The ninja stood there smiling and waving and soon the crowd quieted down so Lloyd could speak into the mic.

"Hi everyone!" Lloyd greeted and the crowd returned 'hi's and 'hello's all at different times. Lloyd chuckled and looked more serious but somehow keeping up his smile. "I know some of you are worried about our latest mission, but we're here to tell you and show that everything is fine now. The most obvious thing is that Jay is in a wheelchair and I'm sorry if it worries you. Jay is doing just fine, right Jay?" Lloyd looked to the blue ninja.

The ninja in question smiled and waved to the crowd. Jay, without a mic, shouted, "I'm okay!" The crowd erupted for a single moment.

Lloyd faced the reporters and fans again. "I'm also sorry if you were worried about Kai. On camera, there was a video of him being knocked unconscious, but as you can see..." Lloyd points to Vinny who is trying his best to not melt away on the spot. "...Kai is with us and he is alright. He would like to say a few words."

Lloyd stepped back and gave him a stealthy thumbs up. Vinny took a deep breath to relax and casually leaned on the podium. The que cards secretly placed on the podium.

"Hello Ninjago City! Did you miss me?" Vinny flashed a smile and winked to the cameras. Apparently he did that right because the crowd roared to life. He lifted his hand slightly to quiet them and in a heartbeat it was silent. "I'm sure you saw the news and I'm sorry you saw that. Kinda embarrassing but I bounced right back up again! I'm doing fine now, as you can see." Vinny sees that the que card reads 'flex muscles or use elemental power' and he nearly rolled his eyes. Vinny quickly reacts thinking that he paused for too long. He flexed his muscles and returned to leaning on the podium. He decided that the que cards were a little too weird and to make it up on the spot. "I just want to say really quick that if you have any information on Vinny to contact the Police Commissioner or us ninja. He was hit by that machine along with me and we want to talk with him and make sure that he is alright. That's all I got for you today! Thank you everyone."

Vinny smiled once again and the crowd lost it. They continued to cheer all the way till they were back in the other room.

As soon as the doors closed and they were alone. Vinny dramatically leaned on a clear wall.

"That was terrible..."

Jay was grinning ear to ear, "What are you talking about?! That was great! You did the wink!" In his excitement he stood from the wheelchair. His dizziness returned and Cole caught him before his legs gave out.

Zane frowned, "We should get back to the Bounty. You need some rest to recover from your concussion."

Jay slumped into the wheelchair. "I'm fiiinnne." He whined.

"Mhmm" Cole responded as he started to push Jay's wheelchair.

* * *

Once at the Bounty, things started to slow down again. Jay was resting while everyone else was in the control room. Cole fiddled with the stirring wheel even though they were floating mid air and it did nothing. Lloyd leaned against a control panel, staying clear of buttons. Nya never looked away from the window. Zane observed almost as if he was learning human behaviors.

"How are we going to find Kai anyways? He looks like an average citizen- no offense. Also he can't contact us." Cole shared his thoughts.

Zane placed his hand on his chin in thought. "Perhaps instead of looking for Kai, he should look for us. If the Bounty continues to move locations, Kai will never make it aboard. Maybe it is best to wait somewhere Kai could find us."

Vinny looked between the ninja. "Is there a place that you guys normally anchor the Bounty?"

Lloyd ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "Well... the Bounty normally is anchored above Dareth's dojo or on the outskirts of town. I think dojo is the best place to stay for now."

Nya, who was quiet, turned to the controls and set a course to Dareth's dojo. Worry was the only expression that she displayed. Vinny couldn't help but feel like it was his fault that she was upset.

He went to put a comforting hand on her shoulder but he felt so awkward he instead folded his hands. "Don't worry, we'll find Kai." He said as a weak effort to comfort her. But none the less, she smiled to him.

* * *

The Bounty landed on the roof of the dojo not even 30 minutes later. Everyone was spread throughout the Bounty trying to distract themselves but they all had the same thing in mind.

Kai

Is he ok? Is he injured? Was he really mentally unstable like the news said?

Vinny watched as the ninja's mood began to fall. Nya was the very first to express her worry and like the plague, worry filled everyone's minds.

Of course Vinny was worried but what had his attention was confusion. He went up to the closest ninja who happened to be Lloyd and poked his shoulder lightly.

"Lloyd?" he started and the ninja in green turned to him with a hum of acknowledgement. "How many ninja are there?"

Lloyd tilted his head, "6... You met everyone but Kai. Technically you are the 6th." Lloyd gestured to him.

Vinny scratched his head even more confused now. "But then who is that brown ninja?" He pointed to a screen behind Lloyd. The screen showed live feed of outside the Bounty. The brown ninja was jumping and flinging his arms around like a mad man.

Lloyd's eyes widened, "That's Dareth."

"The owner of the building?"

Lloyd almost laughed. "Yeah but don't tell him he's not actually a ninja. It will crush him." Lloyd turned serious and went to the controls of the Bounty. "He's trying to get our attention. It might be important."

The Bounty's intercom turned on with a press of a button. "Everyone meet at the deck. Except you, Jay." Lloyd announced.

Gathering at the deck, the colorful ninja assembled. Lloyd spoke for them all. "Dareth wants to talk and we all should be there. He's pretty frantic so it could be important."

Cole crossed his arms. "But what if it's Dareth being Dareth? He'll waste our time finding Kai."

Zane stepped in, "As far as he knows 'Kai' is fine." He moved his open hand to point to Vinny. "In the eyes of Ninjago, the mission was a success with minor bumps in the road. And my apologies if you have forgotten, the plan was that Kai must contact us because he would know where to go."

Cole rubbed his forehead, "Sorry... I'm just stressed."

Nya spoke for the first time in a while. "Well what are we waiting for. Let's go to Dareth."

With nods of agreement from everyone they left the anchored ship and met up with him on the roof of the dojo. Dareth pulled off his cheesy brown ninja mask.

"Great work on that last mission, ninja." He stated as if he was there. His attention turned to Vinny. "It's nice to see on your feet again, Kai. You took a pretty big hit. Same with Jay. How is the blue ninja?"

Zane smiled to Dareth. "He is resting at the moment to insure his speedy recovery."

Dareth put his hands on hips. He was happy to hear Jay was doing well. "And you Kai. How are you feeling?"

Vinny could hear his heartbeat in his ears. It was such a simple question that had a simple answer. His eye twitched in fear. "Super.." He replied with two thumbs up.

Lloyd face palmed, "You don't have to hide anything from Dareth. He is our friend and kind of like a manager."

Dareth gasped, "You're not fine?! What did the Mechanic do?! PLEASE TELL ME YOU HAVE MORE THAN 8 HOURS TO LIVE!" Dareth pulled Vinny into a crushing hug.

"Ack- can't... breathe!" Vinny strained. Once he was released, he awkwardly fiddled with his fingers. He glanced to Lloyd before he began. "Well to answer your questions. Yes, I'm fine. I have a big hunch I know what the Mechanic did." Vinny grimaced slightly. He noticed Dareth didn't relax. "I'm going to live more than 8 hours. This isn't life threatening... I hope."

Dareth sighed dramatically and tried to pull Vinny into another hug. Vinny backed up and Cole put a protective arm separating the two. He looked Dareth in the eyes and the atmosphere was tense. "Dareth... the machine did something and you need to keep this a secret. This is ninja business. Can you handle it?" Cole asked while lowering his arm.

A big smile spread on his face. "Of course! I can handle anything big and small! Lay it on me!" Dareth exclaimed while pounding his chest.

Zane, Lloyd and Cole looked at each other for a silent agreement. Zane stepped forward and put a hand on Dareth's shoulder. "To put it short and simple as some would call it... This is not Kai. He switched bodies with the civilian in the news clip."

He face showed it all, first confusion, then realization, and finally worry. "Oh boy... That's really not good."

Nya finally joined in and came closer to the group. "We know... Things are definitely not on our side. We don't have any contact or any information."

Dareth shook his head. "No, I mean this is really really bad. Have you caught up on the news? He was found and is being taken back to the hospital."

* * *

 **Hi! Sorry chapters aren't coming out quickly. I have a job and I'm starting college soon. I still really love to write and I'm glad I could post on Halloween. I hope everyone had an amazing Halloween! Thank you for your patience.**


	8. Bigger Than Medicine

Chapter 8

The news of Kai being transferred to the hospital was a shock to the group. Nya finally showed a different emotion other than worry. She was the only one who looked happy.

"We know where he is and we can get him! We can fix this mess and I can have my brother back!" Nya shouted with a twinkle of determination in her eyes.

Zane stepped to her and held both of her hands to grab her attention. "We are all anxious to have Kai back but we must think this through."

Nya tensed up. "What is there to think about?! We are getting Kai back no matter what!"

"I wasn't disagreeing with you. I'll do anything in my power to have our brother with us again. I just want to explain that we barely have any information. I believe it's best to research and have a clear mind."

"Would someone please explain to me what's happening?!" All eyes looked to Dareth who seemed deeply confused.

Vinny felt that it was his turn to speak. He lifted his hand to the man in brown. "Hi, it's nice to meet you." He forced a smile even though he was nervous.

Dareth slowly grabbed his hand to give it a weak shake. "So... you aren't K-Kai? Who are you?"

The cameraman nearly facepalmed. "Oh sorry! I'm Vinny! I was the cameraman that got zapped with Kai. Some how we switched bodies because of it."

Zane put a hand on Dareth's shoulder. "You will have to come with us to explain what you know. Also keep in mind that the body switching is a secret. Another thing, Jay has some amnesia of the recent events. For his own health and recovery its best to not mention any of the mission. He knows the basics of the mission and saw the news footage but we want him to remember it from his point of view and on his own terms." Zane looked up to the sky and sighed. "In addition to that, he has a severe concussion that caused the amnesia. The symptoms he has are dizziness, slurring of his words, sensitive to lights, and of course the amnesia."

Dareth and Vinny looked shocked. Vinny gulped, "Wait I didn't know that! I-I just thought he was dizzy like he said! He's okay right?"

Zane smiled, "He is doing much better. But I believe we have important matters to discuss aboard the Bounty." He lead the way to the Bounty.

Dareth trailed behind with his jaw dropped. Vinny watched as he pitched himself. "You doing okay?" He asked quietly.

His eyes landed on Vinny. "There is a lot to take in! You aren't Kai, Kai is separated from us without any contact, and Jay is hurt! I thought everything was fine! How in Ninjago am I supposed to be okay?!"

Vinny stared at him with wide eyes. Cole joined in, "Well you know where they were taking Kai right?"

"Yeah they are taking him back to Ninjago City Hospital. They claimed that he hit his head or something because he escaped the hospital and was acting strange. It makes sense now because I know it's Kai." Dareth explained while walking up the ramp leading to the deck of the Bounty.

Lloyd looked worried. "We have to get Kai out of there before it's too late. We might not be able to get him out if they start to do tests on him."

Zane stopped walking and turned to Lloyd. He looked just as worried. "Do you think he tried to explain to someone that he was a ninja?"

Lloyd nodded, "That's probably why they are calling him delusional."

Zane snapped his attention to Nya. "Quickly! We have to get to the hospital before Kai does." They both ran off to start the Bounty.

Vinny gripped the railing and leaned into. He was feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders. "This is all my fault..."

Lloyd came into his line of sight. "What do you mean?"

"I-I was too afraid to stand up for myself and I let Gayle control me. She made me stay in danger to get her footage and now Kai is in trouble because of me." Vinny said with his voice full of sorrow.

Cole stood next to Lloyd. "This is not your fault. Even if you weren't there, Kai would have switched with one of us. I can't see that playing out well because of our elemental powers. Not saying it's a good thing you're involved, but I'm glad you're here." Cole finished quickly while rubbing his neck.

Vinny smiled uncertainly and stood from the railing. "Thanks I think..." The Bounty shook lightly and began to rise up from the building.

Dareth off to the side tilted his head. "Speaking of elemental powers... Do you or Kai have the elemental of fire?"

All eyes were on Vinny. "I have no idea.. sorry."

"Don't you feel the fire in your veins?!" Dareth questioned with dramatic hand motions.

Vinny raised an eyebrow. "Wouldn't that be painful?"

"I don't know! You tell me!" Dareth exaggerated.

Vinny looked at his hands genuinely curious. "I feel stronger because of Kai's muscles but I don't know about his element. Honestly I hope Kai has it because he knows how to control it."

Lloyd stared over the edge of the Bounty as it began to head to its destination. "We might have to train you if worse comes to worse. Even if you don't have his element, you might have to keep up Kai's reputation. If villains found out we are one ninja down, who knows what will happen..."

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that." Vinny said thinking of the stressful future.

* * *

Kai was currently in the back of an ambulance wearing hand cuffs. The Police Commissioner and EMT's agreed to keep the cuffs on until he was back at the hospital.

He was trying his best not to freak out. He was failing to hide his panicked expressions.

"Are you sure you don't want his transported in a squad car? It's a lot more secure." A police officer asked an EMT.

"He isn't a criminal. He's just scared. Waking up in a hospital is quite frightening." The EMT explained calmly.

Kai rolled his eyes and leaned back in the stretcher. It was so much more comfortable than the cold holding cell he sat in.

The back doors of the ambulance closed behind the EMT. Kai wanted to cross his arms but the cuffs restricted him.

"I'm not sick, injured, or even delusional so I would love to leave." Kai started and the EMT sat with a sigh.

"Just because you feel fine, doesn't mean you are fine. I'm sorry but I'm just followin' protocol." EMT said as if scripted. "This isn't the first time I've taken you to the hospital, Vinny. Not sure if you remember the first but you really weren't doin' well. I finally know your name now but its because it's all over the news. I don't have to call you pal anymore." He muttered the last bit.

Kai stayed silent and stared at the ceiling as the ambulance started its course.

"Can you sit up for a moment, please?" The EMT asked politely. Kai didn't budge. "Vinny if you don't comply I'll have to give you a sedative."

Kai groaned and sat up. The EMT started to put a neck brace around his neck. Kai pulled away, "What the heck? Why are you doing this again?"

"You may have been subjected to a head injury. This is for precautions. Please don't resist. Tell me about the incident or anything that hurts." The EMT finished putting the neck brace on and fiddled with something else.

Kai hated the feeling of being restricted by the cuffs and neck brace. He leaned back again. "I'm not in any pain and I don't want to talk about what happened." Kai answered feelings very upset and angry with this situation.

The EMT finally showed some emotion, frustration. "How am I supposed to help you if you don't help me? I know you don't want to be here, no one actually wants to go to the hospital. Please tell me how to help you."

Kai was shocked, he turned slightly to glance to the EMT. "Do you know what happened at the ninja's last mission?"

The paramedic seemed glad to get a response. "I only know that you were the cameraman recording and that you escaped the hospital."

Kai exhaled dramatically. He couldn't tell more people that he was a ninja. They would think he was crazy. "I was hit by some machine the villain had. It affected me and Kai, the red ninja."

The EMT stopped his action and looked to Kai. "So you were electrocuted?"

While on the stretcher, Kai shrugged. "Partly... But that's not the worst of it."

"What did it do?"

Kai turned his head best he could with the neck brace. "You wouldn't believe and call me delusional like everyone else. This is bigger than standard medicine. That why I left the hospital, I was trying to contact the ninja."

The paramedic looked back to the medical equipment. He couldn't get his words out of his head. He whispered, "Bigger than medicine.." He spoke up, "Well I'm no ninja and I can't call them up. So how can I, to the best of my ability, help you?"

Leaning back again, Kai stared out the window as the ambulance moved. He watched as cop cars trailed behind. "Maybe do what you can to prove to people that I'm perfectly fine. I need everyone off my back."

The EMT hummed in thought. "So far you seem perfectly healthy. That's a good start." He then remembered what doctors told him. "Well I know that doctors wanted to do tests on you."

Kai sighed as the ambulance came a stop. "Great so I'm a test subject now."

"Well if you are in good health like you claim and aren't lying or hiding anything, everything should be just fine." He finished off with a smile.

"Not sure I'm comfortable with that..." Kai stated and the back doors of the ambulance flung open. A few cops were visible and there were doctors around the back. There were definitely more people than needed. Kai then spotted none other then Gayle Gossip herself... with a different cameraman.

Slowly and carefully the stretcher was taken out of the ambulance and she rushed to his side. She looked more serious than concerned.

"Gayle?" Kai tried to be casual. Gayle fixed her hair and slightly turned to the camera.

"Vinny, what was the purpose of escaping Ninjago City Hospital?" Gayle moved the mic to him. Kai was honestly offended. She was Vinny's friend and business partner and now he was her next big scoop.

"What's going on?" Kai asked out of curiosity. He had to do this for Vinny.

"Are you slipping into madness from the traumatic event that occurred?" She asked a new question while continuing to move the microphone back and forward.

"What? That's absurd! Gayle do you know how insane you sound?" Kai said while doctors started to roll him away. Gayle was guided away by the police that escorted the ambulance. Some stray cops follow the doctors. The EMT was talking to the doctors about his condition. All Kai could do was stare at his hand cuffs.

That was till something grabbed everyone's attention. Ninjago's heroes and protectors, the ninja.

* * *

 **Hi everyone! So sorry that my posting schedule is all over the place! I got an iPad with a keyboard so I found myself writing chapters constantly. I hope you all had an amazing holidays and a happy new year! :D**


	9. Twisting Words

Chapter 9

The Bounty was left floating above the hospital with the anchor on the roof. Dareth stayed aboard the Bounty with Jay as everyone else prepared to get Kai back. With no time to loose the ninja quickly entered the front doors. Once inside the Emergency Waiting Room, chaos erupted.

Employees and patients alike cheered and gasped when they spotted the ninja. The group of colorful ninja didn't pay them any attention. In front of them was a group of doctors and cops huddling around a patient on a stretcher.

Vinny and Kai locked eyes. It was a surreal moment when they saw each other in their own bodies. Vinny held in all of his worry and shock. Almost as if they were waiting for his que, he whispered, "That's him."

Zane made the first move. Looking serious, he walked forward. "Sorry for the interruption but on behalf of the ninja we would like Vinny to come with us."

Kai his head turned has much as he could with the next brace. He couldn't look away from Vinny in his body. It was strange to see himself standing there.

A doctor that was previously guiding the stretcher took a step in the ninja's direction. "I'm afraid we can't allow that. We would need a family member to be present to sign him out."

Kai adjusted angrily on the stretcher. "Am I not allowed to speak for myself? I'm in perfect health but you just want me to be your lab rat."

Some of the ninja relaxed slightly to hear that Kai was in good health. The doctor side glanced to Kai. "We are worried that you have brain damage from what happened with the Mechanic's machine. We would like to run a few tests."

Kai was visibly distressed and confused. "I'm sorry what? Brain damage?!" He almost laughed thinking about it.

Vinny walked forward to stand in the middle of the ninja and doctors. "Do you think I have brain damage then?" Vinny said taking a leap of faith. "I was hit by the machine too. I'm fine and if Vinny says he's fine, you have to believe him."

The doctor looked conflicted. "Perhaps we should run some tests by you too." He insisted and Vinny took a step back in shock.

The lone EMT next to Kai raise his hand and spoke quietly. "I believe that Vinny is perfectly healthy." The room shifted to watch him. The man gulped and he eyed Kai. "I was running tests in the ambulance and he's fine."

Lloyd smiled slightly, _'At least someone is on our side.'_

Zane put a hand on his chest. "I truly believe that Vinny is in better hands with us. If he was mental unstable as you claimed, we could provide him the care he needs. We need him to come with because the machine the Mechanic made was built with bad intentions in mind. Vinny and Kai were hit by it and it's important for him to come with us."

The doctor put a hand to his chin and hummed. "Interesting you say that the machine made for bad intentions and that two people were hit by it. Are you saying that the two will begin to have bad intentions? One of our protectors could have bad thoughts? Villain intentions?" He raised an eyebrow and produced a small smirk.

Cole turned his hands to fists and stomped forwards. "You're twisting his words!"

"Am I now?" The doctor asked while trying to look innocent.

Zane squinted his eyes and kept his cool. "All I said was that the machine was made on bad intentions. For a doctor, you don't analyze what I say correctly. That could jeopardize your career if you aren't careful."

The doctor sighed and crossed his arms. "And how could you possibly help him better than us? What do _you_ have that _we_ don't?"

"Sir, this is not a competition. It's imperative that Vinny comes with us. I do not wish to put this on you but this is for the fate of Ninjago." Zane used his wild card. If the doctor didn't allow Kai to leave now, the doctor could loose his job.

He threw up his hands in frustration and as a sign of giving up. The doctor began to walk away angrily. Zane caught a glimpse of his name tag as the man sent him death glares. On the name tag was just a capital M.

A cop started to undo the cuffs on Kai's wrists. The EMT next to Kai was trying his best to get the neck brace off at the same time. Kai was overwhelmed but he couldn't take his eyes off his friends and his body.

Once the cuffs came off, they helped him sit up and the suffocating neck brace was removed. He was helped off the stretcher and he looked back to the EMT.

"Thank you... for helping me and everything. Sorry I'm not a very good patient." Kai spoke to him as cops and doctors started to retreat.

The EMT smiled, "Don't worry I've had worse. You sure you'll be alright?"

Kai nodded and turned to see his friends waiting for him. "I'll be fine. Am I really allowed to go though? That doctor was strict and kinda freaky."

The EMT smiled slightly. "You're good to go. And don't worry about him. He's always been very up tight. Don't let him get to you."

He nodded and stared to the way he left. "Something about him doesn't sit right with me though..."

"Vinny" Kai almost forgot to react to the name.

"I should go. Thank you. One day I owe you an explanation." Kai said while turning to walk to his friends.

"You know where to find me, pal. Good luck." The EMT rolled the stretcher away and Kai was left in the waiting room full of patients and the ninja.

Kai nervously approached them. His hands clinched onto his white shirt. With his head down he couldn't see them past the blue cap. Walking toward them he lifted his head and it was the best sight ever.

His family smiling to him and the illusion was shattered went he saw himself looking back. Kai stressfully rubbed his eyes and the group left in silence.

Silence was better for the situation. They couldn't have someone over hearing them. Kai awkwardly followed, he felt like a stranger.

Once abroad the Bounty, Kai give a sigh of relief and dropped to his knees. He was finally able to relax and be himself. He had his head in his hands. He contemplated crying because of all the emotions he was feeling.

Suddenly a hand was on his shoulder. Kai looked up to see himself, no Vinny. A new emotion took over, anger.

Kai pulled himself to his feet and angrily pointed to him. "You! I can't believe you didn't listen to me! I asked you to leave because it was dangerous and now look at us! What the heck are we going to do now?!"

Almost as if his energy was depleted, he gripped the railing to stead himself. Zane and Lloyd stepped forward worried for him.

"Are you alright, Kai?" The nindroid asked and Kai let go of the railing.

"No I'm not ok! I'm in a different body! I feel weak and useless without my power!"

Vinny's jaw dropped. "Y-you don't have you power?"

Kai turned to him and his eye twitched. "Of course not!"

Vinny was panicking now that he found out he had the element of fire. He shoved his hands under his arm pits, afraid he would accidentally trigger it.

Lloyd put his hands up to calm everyone. "Kai, please calm down. Vinny, just because you know you have his power now doesn't mean fire will just randomly shoot out of your hands."

Vinny slowed removed his hands. Kai closed his eyes and took deep breaths. All of the sudden he felt arms wrapped around him. He almost panicked but when he opened his eyes he saw his sister hugging him.

"I missed you." She muttered into his shoulder. All the anger left his body and he hugged back.

"I missed you too, sis."

One by one the ninja joined in hugging Kai. Vinny didn't join because he barely knew them and he would make it awkward.

When they separated Kai looked to everyone with a smile on his face. Then it changed to a frown. "Where's Jay?"

* * *

 **Hello! You have no idea how excited I've been to post this chapter. I got delayed though because a lot as happened in my life recently. My dog passed away and I got extremely sick and was in the hospital. I got so sick that I am deaf in one ear now. Something to do with my sinuses but its very confusing. Even my doctors are confused. I hope the wait wasn't too long and I hope you liked the chapter! Honestly this was one of my favorites to write. :)**


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